Terminal box and plug.



E. G. SMITH.

TERMINAL BOX AND PLUG.

APPLICATION man OCT. 28. 1911. RENEWED AUG. 28, 1913.

1,188,568. 8 -PatentedJun82Z1916.

Z0 I {//I/// 4 BY 7 C 2 igomvays UNITED STATES PATENT 0* Ema e. SMITH, or sYRAcnsE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO cnousn-nmns comrnnx, or

- SYRACUSE, new YORK, A conrorm'rron ornnw YonK. r 4

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Application filed October 28 1911, Serial No. 657,88 2.' I Renewed August 28,1913. .Serial 110. 787,207.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ELDA G. SMITH, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Terminal Box' and Plug, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for 1ts object a terminal box and plug particularly adapted for use in connection with railway cars in whichthe current used by the electrical appliances of the car is'supplied by a storage battery or dynamo on the trucks; and it invertedplan of parts seen in Fig. 1, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of parts seen in Fig. 1, the'opcrating means and plug being shown in their positions occupied when the out of the terminal box.

1' is the terminal box, which is designed to be connected to the under side ofthe floor 2 ofa car. i

. 3 is the plug movable into and out of the box for bringing the terminals carried bysuch plug into and out of contact with the terminals within the box 1. The opening in the box through which the plug moves is as large as the greater cross-sectional area of the plug so that the plug can be moved entirely out of the box.

Thebox 1 is here shown as provided with means as an internally threaded nipple 4 at one end for connection with-an electric conduit through which the service wires lead from the box, the box being open at its opposite end and also 'at the .side thereof opplug is partly posite to the side 5 which is contiguous to 1 the fioor 2- of thecar. a The terminals 6 within the box extend toward or face the openend of the box and are supported by a block 7 extending transversely of the box midway between the ends thereof, and serving as a partitionto divide the box into two com artments 8 and 9, one

of which as 8 is partly confined by that porthe other of which as 9 communicates with thenipple 4,. the compartment 8 containing the terminals 6. The lower side of the compartment 9 .is opened and closed by a suitable cover 10 which is secured in position in any suitable manner as by screws 110.

The wires leading from the box. are secured within. the compartment 9 to the binding devlces 11 carried by the partition 7 and connected to the terminals 6, andupon the removal of the cover 10 said wires and bindlng devices are easily accessible. 7

The plug 3 comprises a box like portion which is open at two ad] oining sides, that 1s, at one end and its upper side and is reversely arranged with respect to the box 1 so that one open sideor end thereofis opposed to the open end of the box, and as the plug is moved substantially rectilinearly intothe open end of the box 1 the other 7-5 open sides of the box and plug are closed by 'the walls 13 of the box portion of the plug and the wall 5 of the terminal box. The.

terminals 14 on the plug are carried within such box portion on a b o therein normally projecting below the lower side of the box 1 through the opening in the lower side of the compartment 8, and as the plug 3 is moved into and out of the open end of the box 1, the terminals 14 are moved into and out of engagement with the terminals 6. Owing to the construction of the box and plug, it is impossible to reverse the plug and bring terminals of difiere'nt polarity into contact. Thebox '1 is provided b0 I with suitable guides 16 within the compartinent' 8 for guiding and supporting the plug. The plug 3 also includes a suitableshield'or box 17 for protecting the wires in circuit with the terminals .14, the shield 17 being supported by the closed side 13 of the box portion 12 and extending at a right angle to the direction of movement of the plug into and out of the terminal box 1. As the'plug- 3 is moved into the terminal box 1, the base of the shield 17 moves along the opening in the open lower side of-the' compartment 8 of said terminal box.

Means is provided for moving the plug r .into and out of'the box and for'holdlng the .same in position, said means having 51:15 of insulation 80 detachable interlocking engagement with the. plug. As here shown this means consists of a lever 18 pivoted to the box and a link 19 pivoted to the lever and detachably connected to the plug and preferably having interlockingengagement with the plug. As here shown the lever 18 is bifurcated and the opposite arms thereof are movable on opposite sides of the box and are pivoted at 20 to the box, and the link 19 is in the form of a bail embracing the. plug 3, the opposite ends of the bail being movable on opposite sides of the box 1 and pivoted at 21, to the arms of. the'lever'18 and the intermediate portion 22 of the bail extending at substantially right angles to the ends of the bail andcrosswise of the plug and into hookshaped parts 23 projecting from the outer end of the box like portion 12 of the plug 3. Said hook-shaped parts 23 provide a par-. ticularly simple construction for forming slots 24extending in a direction parallel-to the direction of movement of the plug 3 and passages 25 extending at an angle to the direction of movement of the plug I and opening into the slots, for permitting the the cross bar 22 in a direction at an angle w the direction of movement of the plug 3 into the terminal. box, and into and out of the passages 25into and out of interlocking engagement with walls of the slots 24.

\ When the plug is in the box, said plug and the lever 18 areheld from movementby a car can be broken without the use of tools suitable locking member 26 extending through alined openings 27 in ears 28-pro-' jecting from the lower sideof the nipple 4:

and anopening in the lever 18, such lever being movable between the ears when the plug is entirely in the box.

In operation, when it is desired to tbreak connection between the storage battery or dynamo carried by the trucks and thle ser- "vice-wires of the, car, as when it is necessary to remove the'trucks from the carto repair the same, the locking member 26 is removed, and the lever v1 8 is pulled from itso'sition shown in Fig. 1 to and slightly eyond that shown in Fig. 3, thus moving 5' 59 the plug out of the box. The intermediate portion 22of the bail 19 is then disconnected from the hooks 23 permitting the plug and parts carried thereby to be wholly disconnected'from the box 1. i

By my terminal box and plug, the electric'al connections between 'the dynamo or the storage battery and the servicewires of the and without removing any small parts WhlCh might be lost, and the connections can be broken and made by the carmen so that 1 it is unnecessary to call an electrician. Further owing to the shape of the plug and the compartmentof the box receiving the same, the plug can only be inserted therein in one position so that terminals of like polarity only, can be brought into contact with each other.

What I claim is:

l. The combination of aterminal box having a terminal located therein, a lug movable into the box from outside 0 the box and being movable entirely out of the boxv and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal, and means carried by the box for moving the plug into and out of the same from theoutside thereof, said means having detachable interlocking engagement with the plug, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a terminal box having-a terminal locatedtherein, a plug movable into the box from the outside thereof and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal, and means for moving the plug into the terminal box from the outside thereof including alever pivoted to the box, and a link pivoted to the lever and having detachable engagement with the plug, substantially as and for the purpose j speclfied. bail 19 to be swung on the pivots 21 to carry of the box, and a link in the form of a bail pivoted at its opposite ends to the. arms of the lever and having its intermediate portion embracing the plug, substantially as and for .the purpose set forth.

' 4. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into the box and having a-terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal,

and means for moving the plug into the terminal box comprising a bifurcated lever pivoted to the box and having its arms movable on opposite sides of the box, and a link in the formof a; bail pivoted at its opposite ends to the arms of the lever and having its intermediate portion embracing the plug and having detachable interlockingengagement therewith, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

5. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into the box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal,

the box having an opening in one side thereof through which the plug moves, said openmg being as large as the greatest cross sectional area of the body of the plug whereby the plug is movable through the openin and means carried by the box for moving the plug into the box,substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into the-box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal, and means for moving the plug into the box comprising a link in the form of a reciprocating bail having its side portions extending on opposite sides of the box and its intermediate portion crosswise of the plug, the plug having a transverse shoulder engaging the bail and receiving the reciprocating motion thereof, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

7. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into the box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal, the box having an opening in one side thereof through which the plug moves, said opening being as large as the greatest cross sec tional area of the body of the plug wherebythe plug is movable through said opening, and means for moving'the plug into the box comprising means having detachable interlocking engagement with the plug and movable into and out of engagement,

with the plug by a movement in a direction at an angle to the direction of movement of the pluginto and out of the box, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into and out of the box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal, the box havingan opening in one side thereof through which the plug moves, said opening being as large as the greatest cross sectional area of the body of the plug whereby the plug is movable through the opening, and means'for moving the plug into and out of the box comprising a reciprocating link in the form of a bail and having its side portions extending on opposite sides of the plug and its intermediate portion crosswise of the plug and engaging the same, the plug having a shoulder for receiving thereciprocating motion of the link and the bail having pivotal movement at an angle to its reciprocating movementv to carry the intermediate portion thereof into and out of engagement with the shoulder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination of a terminal box and a plug, the box being open at two adjoining sides, and the plug having a boxlike portion for entering the terminal box, said box-like portion being open at two adjoining sides and arranged complementally t0 the box whereby 'the sides of the- 1 box like portion close the open sides of the terminal box and the closed sides of the terminal box cover the open sides of the plug whenthe plug is moved into the box, and terminals carried by the box and in the boxlike portion of the plug and arranged to engage during the movement of the plug into the box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination of a terminal box having means for connection with an electrical conduit at one end and having its other end open and also having one of the ried by the partition and connected to the terminals and located in the compartment which communicates with the conduit con' necting means, and a plug comprising a boxlike portion open at one end and one side,

the box-like portion being arranged complementally to the terminal box whereby the sides of the box-like portion close the open end and side of the box and the closed sides of the box cover the open side and end of the box-like portion of the plug when the plug is in the box, and terminals carried by the box-like portion of the plug and arranged to engage the terminals within the box, substantially as and for the purpose described. I I

11. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into the box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal,

of through which the plug moves, said opening being as large as the greatest cross sectional area of the body of the plug whereby the body of the plug can move through said opening, and means for mov-' ing the plug into the terminal box including a lever pivoted to the box, and a link having one end pivoted to the lever and its other end detachably engaging with the plug, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into the box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal, the box having an opening in one side thereof through which the plug moves, said opening being as large as the greatest cross sectional area of the body of the plug whereby the body of the plug can move through said opening, and means carried by the box for moving-the plug into the box, said means comprising a link having opposing side portions on opposite sides of the box, and a portion arranged at substantially a right angle to said side portions and coacting with the plug, and an actuating part associated with the box and connected to the link, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal located therein, a plug movable into the box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentioned terminal, the box having an opening in one side thereof through which-the plug moves, said opening being as large as the greatest cross sectional area of the body of the plug whereby the body of the plug can move through said opening, and means carried by thebox for moving the plug into the box, said means comprising a-link having opposing side portions on opposite sides of the box and the plug, and a portion arranged at substantially a right angle to said side portions and detachably connected to the outer.end portion of the plug and an actuating partconnected to the link, substantially as and for the purpose described.

1 1. The combination of a terminal box having a terminal locatedtherein, a plug movable into the box and having a terminal for engaging the first-mentionedterminal, and means for moving the plug into and out of the terminal box comprising a bifurcated lever pivoted to the box and having its arms movable on opposite sides of the box, and a link having opposing side v portions on opposite sides of the box connected to the arms of the lever, and a portion arranged at substantially a right angle to said side portions and coacting with the plug, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

15. The combination of a terminal box having meansfor connection with an electric conduit at one end thereof and having its other end open, the box also having a transverse partition therein dividing the' interior of the same into two compartments, one communicating w1th said conduit connecting means, and the other being partly confined by the portion of thebox having the open end,-one of the sides .between which.

the partition is located being open so that one edge of the partition is exposed and the compartment communicating with said conduit connecting means is accessible, a detachable closure for said side-of the compartment communicating with said conduit connecting means, a terminal carried by the partition and extending into the compartment open atits end, a bindingdevice carried by the partition and connected to the terminal and located in the compartment in communication with the conduit connecting means, and a plug'movable into the open end of the compartment having said open end, the plug having a terminal plug movable substantially rectilinearly through one of the open sides of the terminal box and provided with means projecting 'beyond the other open side of. the terminal box at an angle to the movement of the plug and movable in the opening 1n said other open side, and a terminal carried by the plug and coacting with the first-mentioned terminal, the box having an opening in one side thereof through which the plug moves, said openingbeing as large as .the greatest cross sectional area of the plug whereby the plug can move through said opening, substantially as and for the purpose described.

17. The combination of a terminal having angularly disposed open sides, a terminal within the box and a plug movable through one of the open sides of the box and having a terminal carried thereby which moves, during the movement of said plug,

into engagement with the first-mentioned terminal, and a Wire shield projecting from the plug. and being movable into the other side of the box. a

18. They combination of a terminal box having a terminal located, therein, a plug movable into and out of the terminal box and having a terminal for engaging the.

coacting with the terminal box and said 1 movable means for locking said means from movement relatively to the terminal box.

. In testimony whereof, I have'hereunto signed my name in the "presence of two at-' testing witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York,

this 2nd day of October, '19l1.-,,

- r 'ELDA G. SMITH. Witnesses: L

O. O. SCHOENECK, M WM. CORNErL-BLANDING.

substantially as and for thepurpose 70 box 90 box and coacting 105 g 

